


Winded Nightime

by Kokoai



Category: IDOLiSH7 (Video Game)
Genre: Asthma, Established Relationship, Hurt/Comfort, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-20
Updated: 2020-04-20
Packaged: 2021-03-02 00:34:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,558
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23746153
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kokoai/pseuds/Kokoai
Summary: Part of dating Nanase Riku meant being prepared to handle his health issues at a moment's notice. There wasn't a part of that Yaotome Gaku hadn't thoroughly thought through, and yet when the night came he found himself unprepared.
Relationships: Nanase Riku/Yaotome Gaku
Comments: 14
Kudos: 105





	Winded Nightime

**Author's Note:**

> I didn't think I'd ever write canonverse gakuriku. but here we are because one friend pulled me into hell with them. I may retroactively turn this into a series of How Many Ways Can Yaotome Gaku Comfort Riku After An Attack  
> but for now this is it. no larger plot because I just wanted to focus on Gaku taking care of Riku.

Gaku hadn't been ready to wake up to rough dry coughing. Initially he brushed it off. This was simply part of being with Riku. It was when Riku sat up and the coughs worsened that Gaku shot up himself. 

Instinctively Gaku went for the spare inhaler he kept in the nightstand drawer. Riku had looked at it but turned away as another series wracked his chest. Each cough shook Riku, caused more water to pool around his eyes, and then there was the sounds themselves. Gaku’s own throat clenched as he could hear how strained Riku was. 

Gaku was incredibly thankful they'd talked about if this were to ever happen. Although Riku had insisted it wasn't needed since he hadn't had any major attacks in a while, Gaku had wanted to be prepared, to never to be caught off guard. Regardless of how minor or severe the attack, he refused to stand by helplessly. That thinking was the only reason he now knew how to steady Riku and help him with the inhaler puffs. 

Every motion caught Gaku's attention. No symptom would escape his watchful eye. If any of a particular set cropped up they'd be rushing to the hospital. 

Thankfully, the inhaler was proving sufficient. Riku's breathing improved gradually, but his gaze rested a million miles away. Tears stained his red cheeks. There hadn’t even been a response to his name being called.

Gaku’s hands twisted in the sheets. How long should he sit here? When should he be forceful. He had thought he had thoroughly prepared for this, yet now he looked at his trembling hands and realized he didn’t know what to do. Immediately following that thought, he grabbed his phone to dial a number. 

No surprise that it took a couple calls to get an answer.

_ "It's three am. You better be dead in a ditch."  _

"It's Riku," That sharp inhale rang clear through the phone "I...think the inhaler is working. But it seems like a bad one." Gaku spoke. What he actually wanted from Tenn he didn't know. He knew he was afraid, unsure what to do, and trusted that Tenn could guide him better than anyone. 

_ "Put the phone by him." _

"Huh? What—"

_ "Just do it."  _

Gaku decided he was in no position to question anything. As he held the phone out Riku turned his head only to end up coughing again. After a few coughs Gaku brought the phone back to his ear. 

_ "He'll be fine. It's not emergency room level. Let me guess he's spacing out?"  _

"How...yeah." 

_ "Make sure he doesn't forget about the inhaler."  _ Tenn paused, no doubt giving Gaku a chance to note whether Riku had forgotten. He still kept at the puffs regularly.

_ "He may need an extra round depending on what triggered this. If he does get to a third and isn't getting better then hospital. His breathing should settle, it'll be low but so long as it's regular he's fine."  _

Gaku took the following silence as a chance to note everything about Riku's state. He seemed to be improving but his face still twisted. His lips trembled and Gaku prayed the blue tint was only his imagination. 

_ "Keep him comfortable and warm. It'll help ground him. Drape a blanket over his shoulders for now. If he grips tightly at it….I never thought I'd say this to you… hug him.  _

Gaku procured an extra blanket and slowly moved to wrap it around Riku. Gaku watched as Riku’s hand came to tug at the blanket. Did that count as gripping tightly? 

_ "Do not leave him alone for a second. Not even after he's asleep. Stay right there by him until morning. Until he says he's okay. If he finds himself alone he'll go into a stress induced attack." _

At this point Gaku had been nodding and humming as he kept his gaze fixed to Riku. Everything about Riku said he was a million miles away. This was a Riku Gaku had never seen, and yet it only made Gaku’s heart pound. He figured Riku had only ever been this vulnerable with his groupmates and Tenn. For Gaku to be seeing it, somehow it felt special. Although he knew he shouldn’t think like that about something this serious. 

_ "Once the medicine kicks in he needs to stay relaxed long enough for him to realize he's okay. Do...whatever you do that is comforting. I'll keep my volume up in case something else happens." _

Riku had come to sit with his knees to his chest. The coughs were much more spaced out now, although his gaze still hadn’t returned to Earth. Gaku knew he could do this. As long as the physical issue were under control; he could supply whatever emotional comfort Riku needed. 

"Got it. Thank you Tenn, really."

_ "If you… I'll message you in the morning for a status check."  _

That was the end of the call. Gaku still heard his blood in his ears. After setting his phone back on the nightstand he slowly scooted towards Riku and gently set an arm around his shoulders. The response was almost non-existent, but nonetheless Riku had leaned into the touch, against Gaku. 

For some irrelevant length of time, Gaku sat there rubbing light circles into Riku's shoulder as he attentively listened to each change in Riku's breathing. He guessed it had only been a few minutes when he smiled at those cute light snores that now replaced coughs and wheezes. As the night went out, as Riku’s breathing evened out, Gaku allowed himself to relax. He pulled Riku a little bit closer, ensured the blanket would remain around his shoulders, and finally rested his head gently against Riku’s. The smallest movements would end up waking him but that was his self imposed stipulation for allowing himself to sleep. 

When Gaku awoke, it was in response to Riku stirring ever so slightly. A small groggy sound escaped as Riku slumped forward. Every part of Gaku’s being froze, fearful of any movement causing  _ something _ . Never did his gaze leave Riku. He followed every movement from Riku even as he turned to look outside. Gaku became aware of everything down to how heavily he breathed. Although that would still the moment Riku looked at him with puffy red eyes. 

“I’m sorry Gaku.” 

“For what?”

Riku’s eyes dropped as he started to curl in on himself.

“My attack…”

“That’s nothing to apologize for.” 

Riku turned his head away and sniffled. Gaku wanted nothing more than to hug him, but he doubted whether that would be wanted. As the blanket slid from Riku’s shoulders, he fiddled with an end he had caught between his fingers. 

“Did you...did Tenn-nii tell you what to do?” The question had come out of nowhere in Gaku’s view.

“Ah...yeah. I wanted to make sure you didn’t need to go to a hospital.” 

“When I first started having attacks, I’d get so cold for some reason. Tenn-nii started wrapping blankets around me when they’d happen. It’s been so long...I never mentioned it to anyone.” How someone could smile with words Gaku had no clue, but he could absolutely see Riku’s smile even though he still faced the other way. 

“He’s probably gonna kill me for waking him up like that. But I knew he’d know what to do.” Gaku’s head fell. Somewhere a pang of guilt him. Guilt for what, he wasn’t sure. He supposed he felt...inadequate, as though he couldn’t properly take care of Riku on his own. Last night he had panicked, found himself with no clue how to help Riku emotionally. All he had focused on had been the physical side. Riku’s feelings had taken a backseat. 

“I bet, Tenn-nii’s happy. Not that he’ll say it of course.” Riku chuckled and Gaku’s heart skipped a beat. 

“Pretty sure he’ll still trip me during rehearsal or something.” 

“He’s not allowed to be mean to you. Tell him I’ll be upset.” 

Gaku snorted, both at how cute Riku looked saying that, but also knowing that was the one sure fire way to get Tenn to submit. 

As if on cue, Gaku’s phone buzzed with a Rabbit Chat from Tenn. Riku had used his puppy eyes to get Gaku to let him respond. 

_ I’m okay Tenn-nii. Gaku took care of me like you would.  _

_ That’s a relief. _

Gaku clicked his tongue. Such a stone cold response, yet he should have expected that. In actuality, there was no doubt between Gaku or Riku that that response covered up exactly how relieved he truly was. Tenn had torn into all of IDOLiSH7 multiple times about taking care of Riku, he’d spent three whole days nagging Gaku when he and Riku first announced they were dating. 

For Riku to compare Gaku’s care to Tenn’s, then surely Tenn had lost his ground to nag on. Although Gaku felt far from having earned that claim. While he hoped Riku’s attacks would be minimal, he knew they would never vanish entirely. He only need be even more prepared for the next one, no matter how small or large. 

Just as they had started to settle back into bed, Riku’s stomach let out a loud groan. In an instant he was red to his ears. Gaku only laughed as he insisted Riku stay right there while he made breakfast.


End file.
